Lizzie Borden Society Forum

After Dr. Dolan had reiterated his authority and his duty, and his determination to do as he was told by superior officers, and after the assistant marshal and several members of the police force had emphasized Dr. Dolan's claims, Mr. Manchester and Mrs. Terry were sent back into the other room and the door was forcibly shut upon them. They were still firm in their protest, however, and referred to the decapitation of several persons by Dr. Dolan in an accusatory manner"

From: http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Archi ... fheads.htm

I'm not terribly familiar with the Bertha Manchester murder except that people keep trying to find the Manchester/Borden link. I found it very curious when reading in the Archives that there was a Mrs. Terry when Lizzie employed an Ernest Terry and family. Will someone give me some background on the "Mrs. Terry" in the Manchester murder?

Thanks!

It appears that Mrs. Terry was the aunt of Bertha Manchester (the sister of her father) based on the paragaphs that appeared before the one you cited:

"About 6 o'clock last night, the medical examiner having completed his work preliminary to the removal of the body, word was communicated to the father and aunt of Miss Manchester, who were in the room next the kitchen, that the body was to be removed. An undertaker had been summoned an hour or more before, but was very late in appearing. When this word was given, both relatives protested to the medical examiner against removing the remains, showing both a sense of shock and indignation at the proposal."

There were a number of people named Terry living on New Boston Road where the Manchester farm was located.

More on the Terry connection. Found this in Rebello, page 326+:

"As a young man, Mr. Terry was a farmer, laborer, clerk, salesman (boots and shoes), and chauffeur. He was first employed as a chauffeur by Anna Howland Borden. From 1920 to 1927, Ernest was employed by Miss Lizzie Borden as a chauffeur. When Lizzie died, he continued to work as a chauffeur, according to the city directories in Fall River.
Mr. Terry married Ellen Hodgson. The marriage produced two children, Grace L. Terry and Ernest Alden Terry, Jr.. Mrs. Ellen H. Terry died on July 1, 1944. She was in her 60th year. Her occupation, according to her death record, was listed as "assembler." She was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery. .......
At the time of his mother's death, Ernest A. Terry, Jr., was a student at Columbia University in New York. He went on to become a physician. He was living in Louisville, Kentucky, when his father died in 1955. Ernest Terry, Jr. died in 1960. .....
Ernest A. Terry, Jr. and his sister Grace L. Terry were legatees in Miss Lizzie Borden's will. Grace Terry inherited $2,000. Ernest Terry, Jr. inherited $2,000 and a parcel of land on Belmont Street near Maplecroft. Since Ernest and Grace were minors at the time of Lizzie's death, Mr. Ernest A Terry, Sr., was named guardian. Their inheritance was deposited in a bank account. The Belmont lot was sold in 1928 by Mr. Ernest Terry, Sr. He had petitioned Probate Court to sell the lot. According to court documents filed by Mr. Terry, the lot was considered "unproductive."
The Terry family had resided on New Boston Road. Their house was located within walking distance of Maplecroft. According to a neighbor on New Boston Rd., Mr. Terry always wore a uniform when he worked for Lizzie."

Per my previous post, the Manchester farm was on New Boston Road.

Curious.

Remember the novels of Charles Dickens, filled with coincidences of peoples? That is very likely in a small town where most people lived, shopped, and worked within walking distances.
Also, the bonds of family relationship were also important.
Its who you knew, not what you knew.

Descendants of Stephen C. Manchester

1 Stephen C. Manchester
.. +Hannah Davis
........ 2 Jennie Manchester
............ +Unknown
................... 3 Edith
....................... +W. W. Coolidge
............................. 4 Unknown
................................. +William Coolidge Hart
........................................ 5 Roger Wellington Hart
........................................ 5 Stephen Manchester Hart
........ 2 Bertha M. Manchester 1871 - 1893
........ 2 Frederick Manchester 1881 -
*2nd Wife of Stephen C. Manchester:
.. +Mary J. Whittles

I've been trying to find out if the Terry connection is through Stephen C. Manchester or through Hannah Davis.

I know there was a Thomas Terry who settled in Freetown, MA, who had 3 sons, Thomas, John and Benjamin, as well as a daughter, Mary.

The Manchester family came out of Portsmouth, I believe, and settled in Little Compton, Tiverton, and Westport. The Manchester family, in addition to being related to the Borden family, also married into the Gray family. I don't think we know the parents of Oliver Gray, Abby's father.

I was looking through the archives for leads and was going through postings by Roger Wellington Hart, who posted to the forum for awhile. So far, I haven't found the Terry link.

Kat--are you up to checking the 1890 Census?

I only have access to the 1880 through FamilySearch.

In 1880 the Stephen Manchester consisted of:

Stephen Manchester age 49 (b. 1831 in RI) Farmer
Hannah Manchester age 37 (b. 1843 in MA) Keeping House
Harry E. Manchester age 14 (b. 1866 in MA) At School
Jennie F. Manchester age 11 (b. 1869 in MA) At School
Bertha M. Manchester age 9 (b. 1871 in MA)
Thomas McDonald age 21 (b. 1859 in IRE) Farm Hand
Mary Berry age 22 (b. 1831 in MA) Servant

This may turn out to be another newspaper reporting error as opposed to a Terry connection.

Thanks for the list!
That's that darn LDS site tho, right?

There is no 1890 census, sorry. Mostly burned up in Washington, D.C. I know you know this. Wishful thinking.

Harry, do you consider Bertha's place as walking distance from Maplecroft?
(I don't think I would...biking distance, maybe...)

nbcatlover @ Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:48 pm wrote:Descendants of Stephen C. Manchester

1 Stephen C. Manchester
.. +Hannah Davis
........ 2 Jennie Manchester
............ +Unknown
................... 3 Edith
....................... +W. W. Coolidge
............................. 4 Unknown
................................. +William Coolidge Hart
........................................ 5 Roger Wellington Hart
........................................ 5 Stephen Manchester Hart
........ 2 Bertha M. Manchester 1871 - 1893
........ 2 Frederick Manchester 1881 -
*2nd Wife of Stephen C. Manchester:
.. +Mary J. Whittles

Where did you find this?
We have Jennie F. Coolidge and William W. Coolidge, and no "Edith/unknown" at all.

hello- Edith F. Coolidge was the daughter of Jennie Coolidge and William W. Coolidge.

Edith married Gardner T. Hart, the son of Charles Sumner Hart and the grandson of Abraham Gifford Hart.

I hope this helps.